


Auld Lang Syne

by lucybeee



Category: Fruits Basket, Fruits Basket (Anime 2019), Fruits Basket - Takaya Natsuki (Manga)
Genre: Childhood Memories, Friendship, Gen, Memories, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss, New Years, Old Friends, Post-Canon, Reflection, Self-Reflection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28476798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucybeee/pseuds/lucybeee
Summary: New Year's Eve is a time for reflection.
Relationships: Honda Tohru/Sohma Kyou, Kuragi Machi/Sohma Yuki (mentioned), Sohma Hatsuharu/Sohma Rin, Sohma Kisa/Sohma Hiro (mentioned)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Auld Lang Syne

**Author's Note:**

> New Year's Eve always makes me emotional, and when I heard a really nice version of this song just recently (by Betsy Phillips and Robby Hecht, if you're interested), I couldn't help but pull together a fic about it. Happy New Year, everyone. I'm looking forward to 2021 with all of you.
> 
> Post-manga, so read at your own risk.

" _Should auld acquaintance be forgot_

_and never brought to mind?_

_Should auld acquaintance be forgot,_

_and days of auld lang syne?"_

* * *

Memories.

Tohru had learned to confront the painful ones she carried within her heart a while ago. Kyo, as well as most of the other former Zodiac members were not as quick to do so. Kyo had told her just recently, when she'd suggested they all meet at the beach, that some things are just better forgotten. Not worth dragging up the past. They'd all created their own lives. Time to move on.

She'd dragged him here anyway. She knew it was important. Maybe he and everyone else would realize that, too.

11:55 PM.

Tohru glanced down at her phone to gauge the time, but quickly shoved it back into her jacket pocket when Kyo came up behind her, offering a bottle of some mysterious alcoholic beverage. She took it with a smile, leaning into his warm touch as he sat next to her on the concrete step and pressed a kiss to her temple.

The ocean spread a cool breeze against the shore, one Kyo and Tohru were used to by now, but the others hiked their shoulders up at. The city was distant enough to allow them to glimpse a starry sky above. Farther down the beach, some children were already lighting off firecrackers, screaming in glee at the many colors and sounds. Tohru had a pack of sparklers, her favorite, at her feet, but they were waiting until midnight to light them.

Kagura shivered and looked over at Tohru, pulling her coat tighter around her. "I don't know how you can stand to be out here in that skirt, Tohru!"

Tohru laughed softly, glancing down at her bare legs. Even two years after moving away from home and last seeing Kagura, she still felt a little awkward around the older girl. Knowing this, Kyo stepped in for her.

"Ya get used to it," he explained casually, taking a swig from his own bottle. "We've lived by the ocean for two years now."

"That doesn't make you immune to cold!" Kagura insisted.

From behind them, Rin scoffed as she dug through the cooler they'd filled with drinks. She was wearing even _less_ clothing than Tohru, as was typical for her style. "Maybe you're just a wimp, Kagura."

The group laughed at that, despite the pouty face Kagura put on.

Yuki swished his bottle around gently, the liquid inside crawling up the edges as he did so. He was looking upwards, as he'd been doing for quite a bit of the evening. He'd moved from one large city to another--he didn't get to see nights like this one. Watching him, Tohru realized she'd started to take small-town living for granted; nights spent with Kyo on their roof had not only made her "immune" to the cold, but also led to skies dusted with sparkling constellations seeming ordinary.

"I can't believe we're back here after all this time. It's just like that summer," he said. A sense of nostalgia spilled into his voice. Even in the dark of the night, Tohru could see his features pretty well, due to the full moon above. His eyes were sad, but the soft smile spread across his cheeks betrayed what he was clearly feeling. He could be remembering any number of things about their last trip here, during summer a few years ago, or about any New Years past, when he was still a Zodiac member. It made Tohru's heart ache to think about.

"Yes!" she agreed, purposely keeping her tone chipper. "It's sad that Kisa, Hiro, and Momiji aren't here, though."

"Nah," Kyo deadpanned, squeezing her closer absentmindedly. "I bet they're still really screechy. So annoying." Tohru giggled. He liked them just fine, and she knew it.

"Haru, Isuzu, how are they doing, by the way?" she asked.

Out of the group gathered at the Sohma beach house tonight, Rin and Haru were the only two still living in Tokyo, and therefore the only ones who regularly saw the younger of the former Zodiac members.

"They're good," Haru said. "I don't know when you talked to Momiji last, so you might know this...but he has a girlfriend now."

Tohru's eyes widened at that. "I had no idea!"

Haru hummed in reply. "She's nice. And Kisa and Hiro are still together. Don't know how Kisa's managed to put up with Hiro for so long."

Everyone chuckled, but Tohru jumped to Hiro's defense. "Hiro's very kind! He's just...young. He has a lot to figure out, still."

She found herself glancing to her left, then, at Kyo. He'd taken his arm from around her, and was fiddling with his wedding ring. Truth be told, Hiro reminded Tohru so much of Kyo when she'd first met him; so young, and already witness to several injustices that manifested reactions of anger and a general distrust of the world. Kyo had grown, and so could Hiro. She knew in her heart that he and Kisa could make it work.

The others kept chatting, going on about how they couldn't believe that "little Momiji" had a serious girlfriend now, and Tohru leaned into her husband. "Are you okay?" she murmured, lips pressed to the shell of his ear, ensuring that her words were for him and him only.

All of the former Zodiacs were slightly anxious about being here tonight, she knew; they likely wouldn't have come at all if anyone _but_ Tohru had requested it. But Kyo was probably the most distraught of all of them. A New Year's Eve spent with the people who had previously spent the holiday at family celebrations without him must have felt awkward. But he smiled warmly at Tohru, and she felt herself relaxing a bit at the silent reassurance.

Kyo took her hand in his, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "I'm okay."

She grinned back, then allowed herself to tune back into the conversation the others were having now.

"I think he'll propose soon," Haru commented, still discussing Momiji.

"What? Already?!" Kagura squeaked in surprise. "That's so quick!"

There was a pause, and then in unison, everyone turned to look at the only married couple among them. Kyo and Tohru stiffened at the weight of everyone's sudden gaze.

"Hey!" Kyo protested. "I'd known Tohru for three and a half years when I proposed to her!"

"Yeah, but you'd only been dating for a few months," Rin pointed out, heading back to the cooler for yet another hard cider. "You're lucky she's crazy about you; anyone else would have run for the hills."

"Whatever," Kyo huffed, pulling Tohru against his side again. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment at all the attention, and she nuzzled her nose against the side of his neck to hide her face from view.

"Speaking of proposals…" Haru shifted his gaze to Yuki. "When are you gonna pop the question to Machi?"

Yuki took a deep breath and finally brought his gaze down from the sky to look at Haru. "Not until we're done with college. It would be impractical to get married so young," he said, stealing another glance at Kyo and Tohru.

"I hate you all," Kyo mumbled, but his tone lacked the bite it would have taken on in the past, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"What about you, Haru?" Yuki asked. "Have you and Rin talked about marriage?"

Rin made a noise of displeasure. "Waste of money. We don't need a piece of paper to tell us we're married. We're--"

"Married in our hearts," Haru cut her off, tone much more theatrical than Rin's would have been if she'd been allowed to continue talking. "I'll convince her to do it eventually, though," he added after kissing her cheek, causing Rin to groan yet again, this time at the public display of affection.

There was a lull in the conversation, then, and Tohru took the opportunity to look at her phone again. "Two minutes, everyone!" she announced.

"Quick! Everyone say your favorite New Year's memory!" Kagura prompted.

"Our first New Year's away from home," Kyo said immediately. Tohru hummed in agreement; it had definitely been a good one. They had been alone in their apartment, newly engaged, and sat under the warm quilt of their kotatsu table, watching the annual television specials together with bowls of homemade mochi in front of them. It was peaceful, exactly what they'd needed after the chaos the previous year, their last in Tokyo, had brought.

"Just so I don't say the same thing...I really loved my first New Year's in Shigure's house, when Kyo and Yuki came home to spend the evening with me. They ran the whole way home, and I thought they were dying when they came tumbling into the house and collapsed on the living room floor so out of breath." Everyone laughed a bit at the mental image her words had painted.

Yuki's warm laugh rang louder than the others, and he looked to Tohru. "That has to be my favorite, too. I would have regretted it for the rest of my life if we hadn't come home for you that night." Tohru's heart swelled, and tears sprang into the corners of her eyes, but she wasn't allowed time to dwell on the emotion whirling in her chest. Yuki handed her a sparkler and a lighter. "We should get ready," he said, pulling his own lighter out of his coat pocket.

Everyone else readied their sparklers, as well, chuckling as Kagura recalled a New Year's Eve when they'd all driven a grumpy Akito insane with the way they were bouncing around.

Suddenly, the kids on the other end of the beach hollered louder, announcing the arrival of the new year. Everyone lit their sparklers and cheered, as well, watching the gold sparks flutter through the air between them. Kyo used his free hand to cup Tohru's cheek and tug her into a kiss.

"I love you," he murmured, soft enough for no one else to hear, creating a moment for just the two of them in this bustling atmosphere. "Happy New Year."

Tohru bumped her nose against his, one of the lingering tears in her eye managing to slip down her cheek. "I love you, too. So much."

They allowed themselves to fade back into the group, well wishes for the new year falling from everyone's lips.

HVUORHJE

It wasn't until the next New Year's Eve that Kyo expressed to Tohru how truly glad he was that they'd gone on the beach trip the year before.

Tohru tilted her head in curiosity, bouncing their newborn son, who did not particularly like the fireworks the neighbors were setting off. "You're grateful for that trip? What do you mean?" she asked.

Kyo reached out and took the baby from her, giving her a break. "I know I didn't want to go when you suggested it, but I'm glad you made me. Yeah, it hurt a little, but it was important. The people there were important. I'm learning that not everything should be forgotten, I guess. Hey, that wasn't supposed to make you cry!"

Tohru scrubbed at her cheeks, sniffling. "I'm sorry. I'm just so glad you told me that. I felt so guilty about dragging you along."

He smiled at her, and leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "Don't. And please stop crying. I can't handle both of you doing that tonight."

She giggled through her tears, and leaned into his embrace. "Okay, okay."

"Happy New Year," he continued, his grip on her tightening. "I love you both very, very much."

Tohru returned the sentiment, then added, "It's going to be a good year. Every year with you is a good year."

**Author's Note:**

> Furuba socials: riceballcatfb on Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter (giveaway on Instagram!)
> 
> Multi-fandom Instagram: kawaii.anime.screens


End file.
